during Divine worship, in such a manner as rendered it impracticable to continue our public assemblies. We ourselves were threatened, and found it necessary, for personal safety, to appeal to the civil authority. We have no reason to suppose that the government had any part in the persecution; on the contrary, a military force was sent to protect us; yet what shut up our way, and made us finally decide on leaving the island, was, the President's declaration, that he thought it expedient we should preach no more. The motives which induced his Excellency to make this declaration, are best known to himself; but his opinion of our character and conduct may be fairly inferred, as well from the complimentary letter addressed by him to the Committee, as from the promise of a donation to the Society, which promise he has since fulfilled by sending a bill of exchange for £500 sterling. Our removal from Port au Prince, the scene of two years' labour, and the object of our hopes and wishes, has cost me many tears; yet all is not lost. We left in society 30 approved members, and 18 on trial, under the care of two young men, the fruit of the mission, one of whom, in particular, has promising talents, and has occasionally given exhortations. We gave them plans for meeting in class, holding prayer-meetings, and meetings for reading and repeating the catechism: so that there exists still in the capital of the Republic of Hayti, a regularly organized Methodist Society, proceeding according to the Methodist plan. Nor can I abandon all hope in future, for when I consider how many Bibles, New Testaments, religious tracts, and other books of piety have been recently put into circulation; how many sermons we delivered, and conversations we held; how many antichristian errors and absurdities have been canvassed and exposed, how the reigning vices of the place have been attacked and condemned, and what a spirit of inquiry was in consequence excited; I am persuaded light has gone forth, and hope we shall yet see a greater and more effectual door opened amongst that unhappy people, for the publication of the gospel. I love my country and friends, and have learned to value the privileges of England by having been out of it for a season; yet I cannot help turning a wishful look towards Hayti. And when it shall please the great Ruler of the universe to dispose that people again for the reception of his ministers, inclination, as well as a sense of duty, will, if I am at liberty, prompt me to offer them once more my services. The situation of that Island, and especially of the little society there, claims, and I trust will have the sympathies and prayers of the pious. Persecution is no new thing in the Christian church; human malice, however, has always eventually been defeated by Omnipotence; this must be the case with every attack on the work of God, whilst it stands recorded, “ On this rock will I build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Circumstances often occur to exercise our faith, such is the present event; but could we draw aside the veil which covers the invisible world, and see it as it is, gloomy as it now appears to our limited understandings, we should then doubtless cordially acquiesce in the words of the gospel; he hath done all things well. The following is the President's Letter, referred to above. (Translation) Republic of Hayti. JEAN PIERrre Boyer, President of Hayti, to the Committee of the Methodist Missionary Society, London. GENTLEMEN, Mr. J. Brown, your missionary in this part of the island, being about to return to England, after a stay of nearly two years in this capital, procures me the pleasure of sending you this letter, the purport of which is to entreat you to accept the assurance of my gratitude for the good will which you bear towards the people of this Republic, to whom you have kindly sent Missionaries to offer them the succours of the Christian faith, in order to procure for them true happiness by means of a pure morality. I leave Mr. Brown to report to you the way in which he has been received by the government, and the progress of civilization amongst the people over whose destinies I have the honour of presiding. I regret that this worthy minister could not be prevailed upon to accept any remuneration for his labours; but I purpose to have the pleasure of sending, without fail, to your respectable' Society, by a bill of exchange, a donation which I entreat you to accept. I have the the honour to salute you, Port au Prince, Dec. 25, 1818. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. The number of Methodists in the United States, the eventual fruits of a Mission sent out to that Continent, by Mr. Wesley, in 1769, is known to be very great, and the resources of many of them abundant. It has therefore been sometimes a matter of surprise, that little was heard of their exertions in the great cause of Missions. Probably they considered their own work, in their extended itinerancy at home, as still retaining its Missionary character, which is indeed true of Metho dism in many of the States. In others, however, and in the majority, it must be considered as sufficiently established to allow of the exercise of the charity of Christians, now in full possession of the external ordinances of their religion, to the heathen An appeal to American Christians generally, of a very animated and stirr ing kind, in a pamphlet called "The Conversion of the World," we noticed and recommended in a late number. To this we have to add a very interesting appeal by M. T. F. Watson, of German Town, United States, to the American Methodist societies and congregations, on the subject of Missionary efforts, not only among the Indians on their own borders, but also in other parts of the world; stating, at the same time, the operations and successes of the British Wesleyan Missionary Society, and urging an affectionate co-operation with it. This pamphlet, in connexion with the other just mentioned, we understand is about to be reprinted at the Conference Office -We have the pleasure to find, from a late communication from America, that in consequence of Mr. T. F. Watson's Appeal, a meeting was held in Philadelphia, on the 8th of March, for the organization of a General Methodist Mission Establishment, or Society, with very flattering prospects. The plan proposed was adopted, with which we hope soon to be favoured. We contemplate this as a very pleasing event; it marks the extension of the spirit of holy zeal, and will call new agents, more missionaries, more prayers, and more contributions into Exercise for the "Conversion of the world." FORMATION OF NEW MISSIONARY SOCIETIES. Extract of a Letter from WIGAN, Lancashire, dated May 29, 1819. A Branch Missionary Society has been recently formed in the Town of Wigan, Lancashire; and in order to give extension to its operations, a public meeting was held on the 24th of May. The Rev. Dr. Adam Clarke presided on the occasion with his usual ability. The Rev. Robert Newton, the Rev. P. Garrett, and others, addressed the meeting. The speeches delivered on the occasion, and the excellent sermons preached by Dr. Clarke and Mr. Newton, will be remembered “after many days." The Collections, including a donation of 51. from a friend, amounted to 361. 11s.94d. And as subscriptions have also commenced to a considerable amount, the Society promises to be productive. Extract of a Letter from LOUGHBOROUGH, Leicestershire, dated May 29, 1819. On Wednesday, May 26, a Public Meeting was held in the Methodist Chapel, Loughborough, for the purpose of forming a Methodist Missionary Society, for that town and circuit. Three excellent and appropriate sermous were preached on the occasion, by the Rev. J. Brownell, from Nottingham, and the Rev. R. Newton, from Liverpool. The meeting in the afternoon was numerously attended; interesting speeches were delivered by the Rev. Messrs. Bird, Newton, Brownell, Davis, Capes, Raby, and others. It was a day to be remembered, and the anniversary will be anticipated with great pleasure. The collections in behalf of the Institution, notwithstanding the pressure of the times, amounted to £75. A Public Meeting was also held at Northampton, on the 3d of June, for the formation of an Auxiliary Society, for the Northampton and Oxford District. The collections amounted to £56. On the same day, at the close of the Exeter district meeting, held in Taunton, Somersetshire, a Methodist Auxiliary Missionary Society was formed for the said district. On the preceding evening, a preparatory sermon was delivered by the Rev. James Buckley, of Bath, who also presided at the public meeting.-The Rev. Messrs. Collier, Simmons, Marsh, Davies, (from Africa,) Sanders, Bryant, W. and J. Radford; together with the Rev. Messrs. Tozer, of the Independent interest, severally addressed the Meeting. In the Methodist Magazine and Missionary Notices for March, a Letter was inserted, addressed by Dr. ADAM CLARKE to the Missionary Committee, and published at their request. That letter has greatly served, in various quarters, the cause of Missions. We are, however, concerned to find, that some parts of it have been strangely misunderstood by one of our respected brethren, the Rev. VALENTINE WARD, of Aberdeen, whose animadversions have been published in the Magazine for June. We are persuaded that the venerable Editor of that work was induced to admit Mr. WARD's letter by a desire to impress on its readers the necessity, and undiminished importance, of exertions for the further spread of religion at home, in connexion with those which are so laudably made for its propagation abroad. On that point we most heartily concur with Mr. WARD in sentiment. But we are prepared to maintain, that there is nothing in Dr. CLARKE's letter, which, if fairly and candidly construed, is at all hostile to that conviction. We are therefore of opinion, that no such strictures, as those which Mr. WARD has written, were called for on this occasion; and there are several passages in his communication, some of which relate to Dr. CLARKE's letter, and others to our fellowChristians of other denominations, to which we most strongly object, and the introduction of which we exceedingly regret. We have authority to state, that the Book-Committee in London, when they first read those passages in the Magazine, fully shared with us the feeling which we now express. And they have unanimously requested us to draw up some Remarks on Mr. Ward's letter, which the Editor has readily agreed to publish in his number for August. London, June 14, 1819. JABEZ BUNTING, POETRY. To the Editor of the Methodist Magazine. THE following lines, written at an Inn, are said to be the production of the late excellent Bishop HORNE. When you have room for them in your Poet's Corner, they are at your Your's respectfully, service. Manningtree. I nought to them,—they nought to me. General For very far from hence I dwell, Though in the dark I oft times stray, Conduct me, when my journey's done. 560 To the Editor of the Methodist Magazine. Easby Hall, May 7th, 1819. REV. and DEAR SIR, BEING on a visit at this place, which stands in the vicinity of that noted mountain, called Roseberry Topping; curiosity led me the other day to mount its summit. The motion produced on my mind, by the prospect presented to the view from that remarkable eminence, gave birth to the following lines; an early insertion of which, in the larger number of your valuable Magazine, (if you think them worthy to occupy a page in that popular Your's, &c. work,) will oblige, A CONSTANT READER. A VIEW from ROSEBERRY TOPPING. EXCEEDING high is tow'ring Roseberry, Yet higher still, is that eternal mount On which my hope of heaven is firmly built. The Rock of Ages that! the Christian's boast. This mount, together with its neighbouring heights, And yon vast sea, and this extensive plain, Are but a part of his stupendous works Whom now I would adore with all my heads, Stands REDCAR full in view: a place to which The place, 'tis true, is but of little note: For an account of Guisborough, and especially the Priory, see Grave's History of Cleaveland, and a well written History of Whitby, 8vo. in 9 vols. by the Rev. G. Young. 2 TON-TEES, And HEARTLE-POOL; and, as I have been told, Directly to the West, when clouds apart, In loud and solemn accents it declares ̧* "Shall be burnt up!" How awful is the thought! Yet awful more the day when this shall be ! By human art, with gold or costly stones; pear! W.S. + Richmond from this eminence is upwards of 30 miles. On JACOB'S PILLOW. THE bed was earth; the raised pillow stones, Stroud.. Printed by T. CORDEUX, City-Road, F. B. |